Spending time in nature can revitalize the human mind
Do you ever notice an afternoon lull in your team members? It could be the result of a big lunch, but new research shows that they might just need a taste of the outdoors.
Previous research has shown that people exposed to natural elements are more caring. A new study published in the June issue of the Journal of Environmental Psychology found that being outside makes people feel more alive.
The authors of the study conducted five separate experiments involving 537 college students in actual and imagined contexts. In one, participants were asked to walk through indoor hallways or along a tree-lined river path; in another, the students viewed photographs of either buildings or landscapes. Across all the experiments, participants routinely reported that they felt more energetic when they spent time in natural settings—or even when they imagined themselves outdoors.
The researchers concluded that spending just 20 minutes outside per day was enough to significantly boost vitality levels. So maybe it’s time to institute mandatory afternoon walks for your employees. Or at least bring a few plants inside so they can imagine the outdoors.